The Northern Collegiate Hockey League (NCHL ) is a college ice hockey league based in the central region of the United States. The conference is part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 2 and is made up of eleven teams from universities and colleges based in Illinois , Michigan , and Wisconsin .
History Former logo of the NCHL. Used until the end of the 2018–19 season. The 2014–2015 season was the inaugural season for the NCHL , formed of ACHA D2 teams from Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan.[ 1]
Each conference member is required to play all the other members, for a 16-game conference season. Teams earn two point for a win (regulation or overtime), one point for a tie or an overtime loss, and zero points for a regulation loss.
At the end of the season the top six teams qualify for the conference tournament, with the top two teams receiving a first round bye.
Member teams Member Location Joined league Nickname Home arena Head coach Aurora University Aurora, IL 2017 Spartans All Seasons Bill Andrews Concordia University Wisconsin Mequon, WI 2018 Falcons Ozaukee Ice Center Shea Klitzke DePaul University Chicago, IL 2017 Blue Demons Johnny's Ice House West Sean Hammond Lewis University Romeoville, IL 2015 Flyers CanLan Ice Sports Jim Swoyer Marian University Fond du Lac, WI 2016 Sabres Blue Line Family Ice Center Blake Zabinski Marquette University Milwaukee, WI 2017 Golden Eagles The Ponds of Brookfield Paul Wajgel Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, WI 2023 Raiders Kern Center George Sullivan Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN 2021 Pride Kube Sports Complex Tom Pauly Roosevelt University Bensenville, IL 2014 Lakers The Edge Ice Arena Vito Bruno St. Norbert College De Pere, WI 2021 Green Knights Resch Olympic Pavilion Dan Wood University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI 2022 Panthers The Ponds of Brookfield Gavin Nickerson University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 2014 Titans 20th St. YMCA Kyle Jansen
Playoffs 2025 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship Purdue University NW 3 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 2 Purdue University NW 4 Concordia University WI 3 Concordia University WI 4 DePaul University 1 Purdue University NW 4 Marian University 5 Marian University 10 Roosevelt University 1 Marian University 5 Marquette University 1 Aurora University 1 Marquette University 4
Playoffs 2024 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Concordia University WI 7 8 Roosevelt University 1 1 Concordia University WI 6 5 Marian University 3 4 Aurora University 2 5 Marian University 9 1 Concordia University WI 9 2 DePaul University 6 2 DePaul University 4 (OT) 7 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 3 2 DePaul University 7 3 Marquette University 0 3 Marquette University 6 6 University of Wisconsin Milwaukee 0
Playoffs 2023 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Concordia University WI 6 8 Lewis University 3 1 Concordia University WI 9 5 Aurora University 1 4 Marquette University 4 5 Aurora University 5 1 Concordia University WI 4 2 DePaul University 6 2 DePaul University 9 7 Roosevelt University 1 2 DePaul University 9 3 Marian University 5 3 Marian University 4 6 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 1
Playoffs 2022
Black Division Semifinals Championship 1 Marquette University 6 4 DePaul University 3 1 Marquette University 3 2 Marian University 8 2 Marian University 5 3 Concordia University WI 2
Orange Division Semifinals Championship 1 Purdue University Northwest 6 4 St. Norbert College 1 1 Purdue University Northwest 4 2 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 5 (OT) 2 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 7 3 Northern Michigan University 4
Playoffs 2020 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Marian University 2 4 Marquette University 9 4 Marquette University 1 5 Lewis University 3 1 Marian University 4 (OT) 3 Concordia University WI 3 2 Aurora University 4 3 Concordia University WI 4 3 Concordia University WI 5 (OT) 6 DePaul University 1
Playoffs 2019 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Marian University 5 4 Robert Morris University 6 4 Robert Morris University 0 5 DePaul University 1 1 Marian University 3 2 Aurora University 2 2 Aurora University 3 3 Marquette University 7 3 Marquette University 2 6 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 4
Playoffs 2018 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Aurora University 4 4 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 0 4 Robert Morris University 2 5 Robert Morris University 2 1 Aurora University 4 2 Marian University 2 2 Marian University 5 3 St. Mary's University of MN 4 (SO) 3 St. Mary's University of MN 3 6 DePaul University 4
Playoffs 2017 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Marian University 8 4 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 5 4 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 1 5 Lewis University 2 1 Marian University 5 2 Waldorf University 2 2 Waldorf University 7 3 Robert Morris University 8 3 Robert Morris University 3 6 St. Mary's University of MN 0
Playoffs 2016 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Lewis University 4 4 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 6 4 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 5 (2OT) 5 Northern Michigan University 3 4 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 2 2 Robert Morris University 4 2 Robert Morris University 2 3 Waldorf University 3 3 Waldorf University 1 6 St. Mary's University of MN 0
Playoffs 2015 Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship 1 Waldorf University 7 4 Michigan Tech University 3 4 Michigan Tech University 0 5 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 1 1 Waldorf University 3 2 Robert Morris University 1 2 Robert Morris University 8 3 University of Minnesota Duluth 4 3 University of Minnesota Duluth 3 6 St. Mary's University of MN 2
Season Champion Runner-Up Championship Location Host 2014-15 Waldorf University Robert Morris University Albert Lea, MN Waldorf University 2015-16 Robert Morris University University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Marquette, MI Northern Michigan University 2016-17 Marian University Robert Morris University Albert Lea, MN Waldorf University 2017-18 Aurora University Marian University Beaver Dam, WI University of Wisconsin Oshkosh 2018-19 Marian University Aurora University Fond du Lac, WI Marian University 2019-20 Marian University Concordia University Fond du Lac, WI Marian University 2020-21 Season Cancelled Due to COVID 2021-22 Marian University Marquette University Fond du Lac, WI Marian University 2022-23 DePaul University Concordia University Fond du Lac, WI Marian University 2023-24 Concordia University DePaul University Fond du Lac, WI Marian University 2024-25 Marian University Purdue University Northwest Fond du Lac, WI Marian University
Championship totals
Season awards
National championship qualifiers Concordia University WI (2024, 2023) Marian University (2019) Aurora University (2018)
National Player of the Year Charles Emme, Concordia University WI (2024)
Expansion member for 2025-26 season
Previous members University of Minnesota Duluth (2014–16) Michigan Tech University (2014–16) Waldorf University (2014–17) St. Mary's University of MN (2014–18) St. Norbert College (2021–23) Purdue University Northwest (2021–22) Northern Michigan University (2014–2023)
References
